Coalition Strikes Pound IS ‘capital’ in Syria, Oil Tankers

Warplanes hit IS positions in city of Raqa

US-led coalition warplanes have pounded the Islamic State group in Syria after the Paris attacks, with French raids hitting IS stronghold Raqa and another strike destroying dozens of the jihadists’ oil tankers.

In its first major military response to Friday’s attacks in Paris, France said 12 of its warplanes had hit IS positions in the city of Raqa, the jihadists’ de facto Syrian capital.

Activists and a monitoring group said the wave of strikes had shaken the city and sparked panic but the number of casualties was not immediately clear.

“There were at least 36 explosions overnight in Raqa city, some caused by air strikes and some by weapons and explosives detonating after being hit,” said Rami Abdel Rahman, director of the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights.